Parametric integrated design process : attempt at solving Malta's 'loss of architecture'

Abstract

The Architecture of a building can be defined as the result of the consistent consideration of important parameters from conception to the end of the design process. There has been a recent boom in the construction of various types of buildings in Malta. The trend being to demolish various properties with the intention of developing them into apartment blocks, generally prioritising income gain. Individual cases demonstrate how the profit parameter has hijacked sensitive design, to the extent where important design parameters are ignored during the design process of the building. This 'loss of Architecture of a building' is extremely evident when moving along one of the Maltese coastlines such as Sliema, St.Paul's Bay and Xemxija, as well as through several residential areas in major villages and towns. This dissertation investigates and challenges the traditional design process. The main problem was found to be that the relationship between the main role players, the clients and the architect, is of a hierarchical nature whereby the former dominates over the latter party. This generally results in the lack of the consideration of important parameters. Local case studies were investigated to highlight the effects of such lack of consideration, thus proving their importance. The author proposes that this domination may potentially be resolved by implementing one holistic integrated parametric design process that will reorganise the role players and their input, introduce all hard parameters al Ille conception of the design process and adopt the use of a non-dominated sorting process using a generative algorithm. Separate populations of optimal building forms and spatial building programmes will result in bottom-up, top-down processes respectively. Such spatial programmes will then be mapped onto the building form, eventually resulting in a pareto set of results for the client to choose from. This integrated design process will aid the architect to simultaneously consider all parameters that conceivably effect the architecture of the proposed building in order to produce the optimum, possible, temporary design for the proposed building which satisfies all requirements.